Coin-controlled vending machine



Jan. 1, 1929. 1,697,161

J. BRANDT COIN CONTROLLED VENDING MACHINE Filed Dec. 1, 1927 O 0 w I 26 7 2 24 z I N VEN TOR Jol /m Brandt,

Patented Jan. 1, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OF -ICE.

JOHN BRANDT, OF NEW ROCHELLE, NEW, YORK, ASSIGNOR '10 AUTOSALES CORPORA- TION, OF LONG ISLAND CITY, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

COIN-CONTROLLED VENDING MACHINE.

Application filed December 1, 1927. Serial No. 236,904.

My invention relates to vending machines in which goods are sold on the insertion of a proper coin. The goods are stacked in upright compartments, and a weight is placed on top of the goods to prevent them from becoming accidentally disarranged. In some machines this weight also acts to lock the vending mechanism against operation when the goods are exhausted, so that the intending purchaser may not lose his coin. There are usually two ways in which the magazine weight prevents the loss of a coin when the machine is empty: either the coin entrance slot is closed against the insertion of a coin, or the coin is placed flatwise on a movable plate which is locked by the weight against carrying the coin into the machine.

In prior vending machines, the magazine weights are removable and are lnvariably taken out by the agent or operator in refilling the magazines. It sometimes happens that the operator forgets to replace the weight, and one of two things is liable to happen: either the/unweighted goods in the magazine might become disarranged, especially if they are small light pieces, as in penny slot machines, so that the machine is put out of commission before all the goods are sold; or, after the last package has been ejected, intending purchasers might deposit coins without getting any goods, and they would naturally consider themselves defrauded. An agent might even be unscrupulous enough to keep the weight out of the magazine on purpose, for then he would not have to account for the money received by the machine after the last package had been sold.

It is the object of my invention toovercome the foregoing objections by providing a vending machine with a non-removable weight in each goods magazine. At the top of'the magazine is a temporary support for the weight to allow the operator to reload the machine. When the magazine is filled, the operator need only close the front panel which carries means for automatically releasing the weight and allowing it to drop on the stack of goods. This arrangement is fool-proof and insures the presence of the necessary Weight in the magazine.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate a machine as actually constructed and successfully operated,

Fig. 1 represents a vertical section through a vending machine embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a view of the upper portion of the machine to show the weight supported at the top of the magazine, while the front panel is about to be closed to release the weight after the magazine has been filled; a y

Fig. 3 is a front view of the top portion of the magazine, showing the weight released from its temporary support and resting on the goods; and

Fig. 4. is aview'silnilar to Fig. 3, with the weight held at the top of the magazine.

In a suitable outer casing 10 is supported a magazine or compartment 12 for holding a stack of goods 13. The magazine 12 is usually made of sheet metal with side flanges 14 at the front. These flanges run practically throughout the entire length of the magazine and act to retain the goods 13 in place. To insert the goods into the magazine, each piece is tilted as indicated at 13 in Fig. 4 to get it past the flanges 14. If desired, however, the flanges may be cut away near the top to allow insertion of the goods without tilting, but these cutaway portions must not be wide enough to allow removal of the weight that will presently be described.

In the present instance, the magazine 12 is provided at its lower end with a pair of lateral pins or projections 15 arranged to enter recesses 16 in the framework of a vendingunit indicated as a whole by 17 Only one pin 15 and recess 16 are shown, but it will be understood that this arrangement is duplicated at the other side of the magazine. The

upper end of the magazine 12 rests against a block 18 to which it may be secured in any practical way, as by a screw or nail. The top of magazine 12 is closed by a cross-plate 19, which may conveniently beformed from the sheet metal of the magazine itself.

I do not consider it necessary to show and describe any details of the vending mechanism 17, since that may be of any practical construction. It is enough to say that the mechanism 17 is operated by pushing in a plunger 17 after the deposit of a proper coin. I may explain that the particular vending mechanism used in the machine illustrated in the drawings is substantially like that shown in the Romans and Grover Pat ent No. 625,123, dated May 6, 1899. I Want it clearly understood, however, that .the mechanism 17 represents any practical form of coin-controlled device for ejecting the goods 13 from the compartment or magazine 12.

In the goods magazine 12 is a weight 20 adapted to rest on the stack of goods 13. The upper part of the weight is cut away to form a recess 21. The weight 20, which is usually a piece of cast iron, is of such dimensions that it fits loosely in the magazine so as to slide freely up and down, and yet the lateral flanges 14 lock the weight in the magazine against removal. It goes without saying that the weight is inserted in the magazine either from the top before the piece 19 is put in place, or through the bottom of the magazine before the latter is positioned in casing 10.

The sides of magazine 12 are provided at the top with a pair of spring fingers 22' having rounded engaging portions 23. The spring lingers 22 are attached at one end to the magazine in any practical way, as by screws, rivets, solder, and so forth, The upperends of the spring fingers 22 are free. When the weight 20 is pushed to the top of the magazine, the spring fingers 22 grip it at the sides with suiiicient force to hold it frictiona'lly against dropping, as illustrated in Fig. 4. The normally bulging portions 23 of the spring fingers cause the latter to exert considerable pressure against the weight when they are flattened out against the sides of the weight, as will be clear by looking at Figs. 3 and 4.

The front of the machine is closed by a removable panel 24, which is locked at the top and in closed position rests against a cross-piece 25 in the casing. The lower end of panel '24 is so supported that when unlocked it can be swung forward at the top as on a hinge. The particular means iior supporting the lower end of panel 24 is immaterial, and I have not deemed it necessary to show that particular detail, especially since such arrangements have been in common use for many years. The panel 24 is provided near the top with a rearwardly extending projection 26, which terminates in a cam edge or nose 27. The projection 26 may be formed from a piece'of -L-shaped sheet metal screwed to the inner wall of the panel. When I refer to the panel 24 as removable, I do not necessarilymean that the panel is completely separable from the body of the case, but Isimply mean that the panel is capable of being moved to open and closed positions.

The function-of the cam piece or projection 26 is to release the weight 20 automatically when the panel 24 is closed. Thiswill be clear from Fig. 2, where the weight 20 is shown as being held at the top of the magazine between the spring fingers 22. When the panel 24 has swung into closed position after the magazine 12 has been filled, the cam edge 27 of projection 26 engages the edge of recess 21 oi weight 20 and forces the latter downwardly out of engagement with the spring lingers 22, so that the weight drops on top of the goods.

When the operator removes the panel 12 to replenish the magazine, the weight 20 either lies at the bottom of the magazine if the latter is empty, or rests on top of the remaining pieces of goods. To fill the magazine, the operator simply pushes the weight 20 up until it strikes the top 19. The spring fingers automatically retain the weight in that position. When the panel 24 is again closed, the cam piece 26 automatically releases the weight and allows it to fall on the stack of goods.

It will be seen from the preceding description that I have provided a very simple and yet tool-proof arrangement by which a goods magazine in a vending machine always contains the necessary Weight. In a machine embodying my invention, it is impossible for the operator to close the machine after re'- v filling it without causing the magazine weight to rest on the stack of goods.

Although I have shown'and' described a specific construction, I do not intend to be limited to the details set -forth, since the basic idea of my invention may be mechanically embodied in other ways than herein disclosed by way of illustration. Changes and modifications will probably occur to others without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the fo'llowingclaims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A vending machine having an outer case provided with a removable front panel, an upright goods magazine in said case, a weight slidable in said magazine and incapable of removal therefrom, said weight norn'ially'r-esting on a stack of goods in the magazine, means for releasably holding said weight at the top of said magazine, and means for automatically releasing the weight from said holding means when said front panel is closed.

2. A. vending machine having an outer case provided with a removable front pan-e1, an upright goods magazine in said case, a weight slidable in said magazine and incapable of removal therefrom, said weight normally resting on a stack of goods in the magazine, means for releasably holding said weight at the top of said magazine, and means carried by said front panel for automatically releasing the weight from said holding means when the panel is closed.

3. A vending machine having an outer case provided with a removable front panel,

an upright goods magazine in said case, a

weight slidable in said magazine and incapable of removal therefrom, sald weight normally resting on a stack of goods in the mag azine, spring means at the top of said magazine for frictionally engaging said weight sufliciently to hold it, and means controlled by said front panel for automatically forcing the weight out of engagement with said holding means when the panel is closed.

at. A vending machine having an outer ease provided with a removable front panel, an upright goods magazine in said case, a weight slidable in said magazine and incapabio of removal therefrom, said weight normally resting on a stack of goods in'the magazine, spring means at the top'of said magazine for frictionally engaging said weight sufficiently to hold it, and a projection carried by said front panel for engaging said weight and forcing it out of contact with said holding means when the panel is closed.

5. A vending machine having an outer case provided. with a removable front panel an upright goods magazine in said easef'a weight slidable in said magazine and incapable of removal therefrom, said weight normally resting on a stack of goods in the magazine, a pair of spring fingers projecting into said magazine at the top thereof from opposite sides and arranged to engage the sides of said weight for holding the same. and a cam-shaped projection carried by said 3 front panel for engaging said weight and forcing it out of contact with said fingers when the panel is closed.

6. A vending machine having an outer case provided with a removable front panel, an

upright goods magazine in said case, a weight 5 slidable in said magazine and incapable of removal therefrom, said weight normally resting on a stack of goods in the magazine, a stop at the top of said magazine to limit the upward movement of said weight, means for automatically holdingsaid weight suspended in the magazine when it strikes said stop, and means for automatically releasing the weight from said holding means when said front panel is closed 7. A vending machine having an outer case provided with a removable front panel, an upright goods magazine in said case, a weight slidable in said magazine and incapable of removal therefrom, said weight .normally resting on a stack of goods in the magazine, a stop at the top of said magazine to limit the upward movement of said weight, means for automatically holding said Weight suspended in the magazine when it strikes said stop, and means carried by said front panel for automatically releasing the weight from said holdin means when the anel is closed.

JOHN BRANDT. 

